Wire-stapling machine.



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Patented Dot. I, |901.

H. WEBER,

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WIRE STAPLING MACHINE.

' (Application led Jan. 14, 1901.)

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H. WEBER.

' WIRE STUAPLING MACHINE. (No Model.) (Application med Jan. 14' 1901.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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i nur No. 683,823. Patented Oct. I, I90I.

H. WEBER.

wml-z STAPLING mAcH'lNE.

(Application led Jan. 14, 1901.) l

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

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UNITED, STATES FATENT Gruen.

HENRY WEBER, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIeNoR rro THE LATHAM MACHINERY COMPANY, OF -sAME PLACE.

WIRE-STAPLING MACHINE.

SEECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 683,823, dated October 1, 1901.

I Application filed January 14, 1901. Serial No. 43,195. (No model.)

To all whom, t mayconcerm Be it known that I, HENRY WEBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illin ois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vire-Stapling Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

` My invention relates to wire-stapling machines in which a number of sheets of material or leaves of a book are stapled together; and one of its objects is to provide improvements in such machinery by which staples of a peculiar form are made and driven into the book and clenched, one arm of the staple being longer than the other and only one arm being driven through lthe book, (the short arm,) and the free end ofthe long arm being bent respectively downward and upward and clenched at the back-of Athe book and outside the same, so as to form the kind of staples illustrated in the drawings hereinafter referred to and forming a book in which the leaves may be thrown over so that the book remains open.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for engaging the wire as it is fed into the machine in such a way as to prevent the wire being bent or kinked by the backward stroke of the feeding devices.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved staple-supporter and accompanying devices and means for operating the same.

My invention also relates to improvements in wire-stapling machines in sundry particulars hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail, being a front view of a portion of the back plate of the machine and of the devices attached thereto. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail, being a vertical section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail, being a vertical section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail, being a vertical section on line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail, being a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3 and showing the staple former and driver in a lower position than shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail, being a top or plan view of the block through which the wire passes on its way to the staple forming and driving devices. Fig. 8 is a cross-section on line 8 8 of Fig. 4. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail, being an end view of the wire-holding device hereinafter described viewed from the left in Fig. 2. Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail, being a view ot' the cam for operating the clencherv mechanism. Figs. 11, 12, and 13 are enlarged details showing the clencher in several positions and the formation of the staple. Fig. 14 is an enlarged detail, being an isometric view of a portion of the stapled book, showing the form of staple. Fig. 15 is amodication of a staple-supporter and means for operating the same, being a vertical cross-section through the staple former and Adriver and a portion of the back plate. Fig. 16 is a vertical section of the same parts shown in Fig. 15, showing the staple-supporter in another position. Fig. 17 is a vertical section of the same parts shown in Fig. 16, showing the staple-supporter in another and more elevated position. Fig. 18 is a rear View of thvr parts shown in Fig. 15, 16, and 17; and Fig. 19 is a vertical section of a portion of the parts shown in Fig. 15, showing the staplesupporter in its most elevated position and the anvil in position to form the staple.

Referring to the drawings, 15l indicates a hollow standard having hollow forward projecting necks 16 and 17, which are of the or- ,dinary form.

thrown into or out of engagement by means of a foot-treadle 20, secured to a lever 21, which is pivoted in the lower part of the standard 15 and is connected by a rod 22 with the clutch mechanism.

23 indicates a table which is supported upon the outer end of the neck 17 andvserves to support the book to be stitched, as herein-v after described.

24 indicates a cam which is keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 18 within the neck 16. The cam 24 is of the shape shown in Fig. and is formed with a cam-like projection 24 upon its periphery, which has two bearing-surfaces 24b and 24, as is best shown in Fig. 10.

25'indicates a rod which is slidingly mounted in suitable lugs 26 on the interior of the standard 15, so as to move freely vertically therein. The rod 25 is provided with a roller 27 at its upper end, which engages with the cam 24 as the same rotates.

28 indicates a lever which is pivoted in the neck 17, its inner end extending within the standard 15 and its outer end projecting forward through the said neck 17 ,which is slotted to permit the movement of the lever 28.

29 indicates a block which is pivotally secured to the outer end of the lever 28 and is bored a suitable distance in its upper end to permit the insertion therein of a rod 30, which passes upward in suitable supports through the upper end of the neck 17 and is provided with a block 31, secured to its upper end, to operatea clencher 32. The clencher 32 is of the form best shown in Figs. 11, 12, and 13 and is connected with the block 3l and operates in the well-known manner, such as is described by me in Letters Patent to me, No. 548,681, of October 29, 1895. As the rod is moved up and down in the neck 17 by the operation of the lever 28, the rod 25, and the cam 24 the clencher assumes the several positions shown in Figs. 11, 12, and 13, as hereinafter described. As the connection of this clencher with the operating-rod and its operation are well known, it is not necessary to describe it more fully in detail here.

33 indicates a spool, of any approved form and operation, adapted to hold and unreel the wire, rotatably mounted upon a standard 33a, secured to the neck 16 and projecting upward therefrom. As this reel may be of any approved form and construction and forms no part of my present invention, it is not necessary to describe it more fully here.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, 34 indicates the back plate of a machine, and 35 indicafes a cam which is keyed at the outer end of the shaft 18, with its back bearing against the back plate 34. The cam 35 bears on its outer periphery upon a roller 36, which is journaled in the upper end of a lever 37, which is pivoted to the back plate 34 in such a way that when the cam is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 the upper end of the lever 37 is moved to the left in Fig. 2. The lever 37 may be of any approved form and construction and engages at its lower end with the wire-feeding devices hereinafter referred to. The lever 37 is also provided with a suitable spring, operating in any wellknownmanner, therefore not shown in the drawings, to normally force the upper end of the lever 37 to the right in Fig. 2 when free to act, so as to keep the roller 36. constantly in contact with the periphery of the cam 35. The cam 35 is provided with a cam-groove 38, which engages with a roller 39, (best shown in Figs. 1 and 3,) mounted upon the upper and inner end of the staple-former 40. The stapleformer 40 is slidingly mounted in a suitable recess formed in the face of a block 41, which is secured to the front of the back plate 34. The block 41 is preferably formed of two parts 412L and 41b (see Fig. 8) for convenience of construction and secured together in any appropriate manner. The staple-former 40 is forked at its lower end in the usual manner, as is best shown in Fig. 5, whereby the two arms of the forked end of the stapleformer 40 as the same descends come down upon each side of the anvil4 and staple-supporter hereinafter described. The staple-l former 40 is provided upon each side with slots 42, which extend part Way through it, as is best shown in Figs. 4 and 6 and by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

43 indicates a bar which is slidingly mounted in the block 41 in front of the stapleformer 40 in such a way as to move freely up and down in said block 41. The bar 43 is provided at its upper portion with two inwardly-projecting lugs 44. (Best shown in Figs. 4, 6, and 8 and in dotted lines in Fig. 3.) The lugs 44 project into the slots 42 in the staple-former 40 in such a way as to be engaged by the top or bottom of the slots 42, so that .the bar 43 is moved up or down by the movement hereinafter described of the staple-former 40.

45 indicates a staple-supporter which is pivoted on the lower end of the bar 43, so as to swing in and out, as hereinafter described, in the recess 46, formed in the lower end of the block 41, as is best shown in Fig. 3. The staple-supporter 45 is of the ordinary form of such staple-supporters except that its upper surface is given a curved bevel, as is best shown in Figs. '4, 5, and 6. This curved bevelecLsurface of the operative portion of the staple-supporter 45 is highest at the righthand side of Figs. 4, 5, and 6 and slopes .downward on a curve toward the left, as is best shown in said figures, so as to form the peculiar form of staple shown in Figs. 11, 12,

and 13 and hereinafter described.

47 indicates a tube which projects outward and upward from the front surface of the block 41. 48 indicates a pin which moves longitudinally of itself in said tube and bears at its inner end upon the outer surface of the staple-supporter 45, being forced inward, so as to constantly and yieldingly bear upon said staple-supporter 45, by means of a spring 49, located within, said tube 47, as is best shown in Fig. 3.

50 indicates a tube which is formed on or secured to the back surface of the back plate 34.

51 indicates a pin which is mounted in a suitable opening at the lower end of the back plate 34 and is provided with a stem 52. The pin 51 slides freely longitudinally of itself in its support.

53 indicates a spiral spring which is mounted in the tube and is adapted to normally hold the pin 51 in the position shown in Fig. 3, but yields so that the pin 5l may move backward in the manner hereinafter described.

54 indicates an anvil which is formed on the outer end of the pin 50 and is provided on its front surface with a slot 55, in which the wire enters. The slot 55 in the front surface of the anvil 54 is formed inthe shape best shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 andy has its lower surface beveled on a curve downward and to the left in said igures, corresponding in general with the curved bevel on the staple-supporter 45. The upper surface of the anvil 54 is beveled downward and outward, so that when the anvil is engaged by the staple-driver, hereinafter described, it may be forced backward against the action of the spring 53.

56 indicates a cam which is journaled upon the outer end of the shaft 18 and is preferably formed integral with the cam 35, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The cam 56 has two cani-surfaces 56 and 56b and has two portions of its periphery, 56c and 56d, formed on the arcs of circles concentric with the shaft 18.

57 indicates a staple-driver which is slidingly mounted in a suitable recess on the front surface of thestaple-former 40,so that the said driver may move longitudinally of itself in said staple-former and independently thereof.

58 indicates a roller which is j ournaled upon the front surface of the staple-driver 57 at its outer end and engages with the periphery of the cam 56, so that when said cam 56 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow thereon the staple-driver 57 may be forced downward, as hereinafter described. The lower end of the staple-driver is also cut upon a curve corresponding with the bevel curve upon the upper surface of the operative portion of the staple supporter 45, above described, as is best shown in Figs. 4 and 6. The staple-'driver 57 is cut away upon its rear side at the lower end for a suitable distance, so as to form a shoulder 59, as is best shown in Fig. 3.

60 indicates a pin which is inserted in the staple-former 40 upon the side of the stapleformer left free by the cutting away of the block 41 at its lower end, as is best shown in Fig. 5, and projecting inward below the shoulder 59. The other end of the pin 60 projects outward into the recess formed by the cutting away of the lower portion of the block 41,. so as to engage the knife, hereinafter described.

61 indicates a block which is secured to the back plate of the machine below and to the left of the recessed open lower end of the block 41 and projects somewhat within said recess.

62 indicates a tube which is preferably screwed into the block 61, as is shown in Fig. 4, and is of a size suitable to permit the passage through it of a wire 63.

64 indicates a knife with a cutting edge at its lower end, which is mounted in the block 61 in suitable slots therein, so as to slide longitudinally of itself or vertically in the said block 61. The cutting edge of the knife when the same is lowered just clears the delivery end of the tube 62, so as to sever the wire at that point. The knife is provided with a suitable opening at its upper end, through which the pin 60 above described projects, whereby the knife 64 is raised and lowered by the raising and lowering of the staple-former.

65 indicates a bracket which is secured to or formed integral with the block 61.

66 indicates a wire-holder which is formed with two arms 66*L and 66b at right angles with each other. The wire-holder 66 is mounted upon the bracket 65 by means of pins 67 and 68. The pin 67 passes through a slot 69 in the arm 66a of the wire-holder 66 and through a suitable opening in the bracket 65. The pin 68 passes through a slot 70 inthe bracket 65 into a suitable opening in the arm 66a, so as to permit a limited upward movementof the wire-holder 66. The wire-holder 66 is provided upon the lower end of the arm 66a with a head 71, the lower surface of which is provided With inclined teeth, as is best shown in Fig. 4.

72 indicates a pin the lower end of which is provided with a suitable opening, through which the free end of the pin 68 extends and which passes at its upper end through a suitable opening in the free end of the pin 67.

73 indicates a spiral expansion spring which is mounted upon the pin 72 between the free ends of the pins 67 and 68, so as to normally hold the wire-holder 66 down in its lowest position. The arm 66b of the wireholder 66 projects over the top yof the knife 64, as is best shown in Figs. 4 and 7, so as to be engaged by said knife when it rises at a point near the upward limit of the motion of said knife, so as to raise the wire-holder 66 against the action of the spring 73. v

74 indicates a block which is secured to or formed integral with the bracket 65 immediately below the head 71 in such a position that when the wire 63 is in position, as shown in Fig. 4, and the spring 73 left free to act the toothed head 71 will be pressed by the action of the spring 73 downward against the wire 63, gripping the same between the said head 7l and the upper surface of the block 74, so as to prevent any backward motion of the wire 63. When the wire-holder 66 is raised by the lifting of the knife 64, as hereinafter described, the wire is freed from engagement between the head 7l and the block 74, so that it may be fed forward into the machine.

The knife 64 is so located with relation to the staple-former 40 that the left-hand end of the wire or the part of the wire to the left of the anvil 54 and the staple-supporter 4 5 will IOO IIO

be longer than the portion to the right of said parts, as is best shown in Fig. 4, in order that one arm of the staple may be longer than the other, the block 6l being movable in any wellknown or approved manner in such machines toward or away from the staple forming and driving mechanism. This distance will of course depend upon the nature of the work to be done.

indicates a wire-feeder, which may be of any approved form and construction, but is preferably like t-hat shown and described in Letters Patent to me, No. 548,68l, of October 29, 1895. The wire-feeder 75 slides to and fro horizontally upon rods 76 77 and is reciprocated on said rods by the lever 37. The said wire-feeder 75 operates and is reciprocated by the lever 37 in the manner shown and described by me in the Letters Patent last above described.

78 (see Figs. l, 11, 12, 13, and 14) indicates the staple as the same is formed by the operation of the parts as hereinafter described.

79 indicates a secondary clencher, which consists of three arms 80, 81, and 82 at approximately right angles with each other. The secondary clencher 79 is pivoted at the outer end of the arm SO upon a pin 83, which 'is screwed into or otherwise secured to the back plate 34.

84 indicates a spring, one end of which is coiled around the pin 83 at its outer end, as is best shown in Fig. 3, and the other end coiled around a pin 85, which is screwed or otherwise secured to the arm 80, as is best shown in Fig. 2. The operation of said spring 84 is to normally hold the secondary clencher 79 in the position shown in Fig.` 2.

86 (see dotted lines in 2) indicates a roller which is mounted upon the inner side of the secondary clencher 79 and is adapted to contact with the cam portion 56b of the cam 56 as the same rotates. The lower arm 82 of the secondary clencher 79 extends to the left in Fig. 2 a suitable distance, so as to come near the end of the book to be stapled, as is best shown in Fig. 2, and in alinement with the driver 57, so as to come opposite the ends of the staple when the same are bent, as hereinafter described.

The operation of the above-described devices is as follows: The wire is fed into the machine from thereel 33 by the operation of the wire-feeder 75 in the manner shown and described in Letters Patent to me last above named and passes through the tube 62 when so fed in until a'suitable length of wire is fed below the staple forming and driving devices, the parts being in the position shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. At this moment by the operation of the cam-groove 38 upon the roller 39 the staple-former 40 descends, carrying with it the knife 64 by means of the engagement of the pin 60 with said knife, as above described, and the wire isI severed. by the knife 64 close to the inne-r end of the tube 63. As the knife 64 descends the arm GGb 'escasas of the wire-holder 66 is freed from engage# ment with the top of the knife G4, and the spring 73 forces the said wire-holder down, so that the teeth on the end surface of the head 7l engage the wire between said head 7l and the upper surface of the block 74, holding the uncut portion of the wire between them, so that the wire-feeder 75, which at this moment begins its return stroke to the left in case the parts should momentarily catch, cannot engagev the wire and carry it back ward, which would cause a kink or bend in the wire. The staple-former 40 continuing its descent by the operation of the cam-groove 38 bends the'ends of the cut-olf portion of the wire upon each side of the anvil into the form best shown in Fig. 6, the bending of the staple to the said form being assisted by the shape of the groove 55 in the anvil 54, above described. As the stapleformer 40 descends the lugs 44 upon the sliding bar 43 contact with the shoulders at the upper ends of the grooves 42 in the former 40, and the bar 43 is carried down with the continued descent of the staple-former 40, carrying with it the supporter 45 until the said staple-supporter 45 rests upon the paper to be stiched, the staplesupporter 45 being urged inward by the operation of the spring 47, and the end of the longer arm of the staple 78 also rests upon the paper. In the meanwhile and during this operation the cam portion 5ta of the cam 56, engaging the roller 58 upon the driver 57, causes the driver to descend. When the lower end of the driver descends until it contacts with the beveled head of the anvil 54, it forces the said anvil to the right in Fig. 3, withdrawing the same from the staple, which drops and rests upon the staple-supporter 45. The driver 57 continuing its descent engages the top of the staple 78 and forces the long arm of the same through the paper, the staple-supporter 45 being forced backward by the action of the lower end of the driver 57 upon its upper sloped surface as the staple is driven through the paper until the staple` supporter moves back entirely out from under the wire. As the longer arm of the staple passes through the book it comes in contact with the clencher 32, which is in the position shown in Fig. ll, bending the longer arm of the staple, as is shown in Fig. 1l. At this moment the cam portion 24b of the cam 24 contacts the roller 27, forcing the rod 25 downward and through the operation of the lever 28 and the rod 30 carrying the clencher 32 upward into the position shown in Fig. 12 and bending the longer arm of the staple still more. During this operation the circular portion 56c of the cam 56 bears upon the roller 58, and the driver 57 is temporarily held stationary. The cam portion 56b of the cam 56 then bears upon the roller 58, forcing the driver 57 farther down, and at the same time the cam portion 24 of the cam 24, bearing upon the roller 27, forces the clencher 32 still farther upward into the position shown at 32a.

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(See Fig. 12.) The result of the combined operation of the driver 57, forcing the staple still farther downward and of the clencher 32 rising still farther, is to bend the longer arm of the staple still farther around into nearly the position shown in Fig. 13, bending it a little farther around than is shown in Fig. 12. The ends of the staple are opposite to and in alinement with the secondary clencher 79. At this moment the cam portion 56 of the cam 56 engaging with the roller 86 forces the same downward, carrying the arm 82 of the secondary clencher 79 to the left to force the end of the arm 82 against the staple 78, so that the same are firmly pressed against the end of the book, and the staple is left in the form and in the position shown in Figs. 13 and 14. During the above-described movement of the d river and clencher the roller 39 is in the circular portion of the cam-groove 3S, whereby the staple former and supporter remain stationary in their lowest position, the end surface of the staple-supporter rest-V ing and sliding upon the paper. When the operation of forming and clenching the staple, as above described, is completed, the roller 39 passes away from the circular portion of the cam-groove 38, and the rollers 58 and 86 are freed from the cam portion 56b of the cam 56. The roller 39 comingvinto the third portion of the cam-groove 38, the stapleformer begins to rise, carrying with it the knife 64. When the knife 64 has nearly reached the upper limit of its motion, it engages the arm 66b of the wire-holder 66 and raises the head 71 from the wire. In the meanwhile the inner end of the pin 60 has engaged the shoulder 59 of the driver 57 and operates to lift the driver with the rising of the staple former to its original position. When the staple-former has ascended a sufficient distance, the shoulders at the lower end of the slots 42 contact the lugs 44 on the sliding bar 43, and as the upward motion of the staple-former continues the staple-supporter 45 is lifted from the paper back to its original position. During this time the roller 36, which has been upon the circular portion of the cam 35 during the staple forming and driving operation, passes away from the said circular portion, and the lever 37 swings in the other direction, moving the wire-feeder 75 backward into position to rengage the wire.

VAfter the operation of driving and clenching the staple is completed and the parts lifted back to their original position the wire is again fed forward by the operation of the lever 37 and the wire-feeder 75, and the operation is repeated, the book being shifted to one side in proper position to receive the next staple. As soon as the staple-clenching operation is completed it will of course be obvious that the roller 27 passes away from the cam portions 24b and 24C and the cam 24, and the clencher 32 is returned to its original position. As soon as the roller 86 is freed from the cam portion 56b and the cam 56 the spring operates to return the secondary clencher 79 to its original position.

It is of course understood thatin the aoovedescribed operation the book is inserted in the position shown in Fig. Z-that is to say, with its edge to be stitched at right angles with the plane of the staples-so that only the longer arm of the staple is driven through the book, as above described.

Referring to Figs. 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19, 34 indicates the back plate, which is cut away at its bottom portion behind the staple forming and driving devices, so as to form a slot 87. 88 indicates a block which is secured to the front of the back plate 34 and against which the staple-former slides as it is reciprocated. 89 indicates a staple-former of the ordinary form, provided with an arm or fork 90 at its lower extremity. The staple-former 89 is reciprocated in the well-known way by means of a roller 91, operating in the camgroove 38 of the cam 35. 92 indicates a staple-supporter which is pivotally mounted at its upper end between the forks of the staple-former 89, so as to be raised and lowered therewith. The staple-supporter 92 is provided with the usual beveled edge 93 upon its upper surface, and the lower portion, which rests upon the paper, is cut in the arc of a circle whose radius is the distance from the pivotal point to the loweredge. 94 indicates a plate which is secured to the back ofv the staple-supporter 92. l have shown it as formed of a separate piece and dovetailed to the staple-supporter. It may, however, be formed integral therewith. The plate 94 is provided with a projecting arm 95, which is beveled at its upper end and is adapted to enter into a recess 96, formed between the block 88 and the back of the staple-former 89. indicates brackets, which are secured to the rear surface of the back plate and project rearwardly therefrom. 98 indicates a block which is journaled in the outer ends of the brackets 97, so asto turn therein. 99 indicates a pin which passes freely through a suitable opening in the block 98, so as to slide longitudinally of itself in said block. The pin 99 is provided at its inner end with a head 100, which is pivotally connected with the staple-supporter 92. 101 indicates a spiral spring which surrounds the pin 99 between the block 98 and the head 100 and bearing against the block 98 and head 100 tends to force the pin 99 and the staple-supporter 92 inward into the position shown in Fig. 15. 102 indicates a driver of the usual form, which is mounted in a suitable recess'in the front surface of the staple-former 89 and is operated in any appropriate way. As shown,

it is operated by means of a roller 103, upon IOO staple-supporter is mounted and moves. The slot being of the ordinary and well-known form is not illustrated here. Only one of the lugs is shown in the drawings. The anvil 104 is provided with the usual slot 106 at its lower or operative end and with the usual beveled surface 107, upon which the driver acts, as hereinafter described. 108 indicates the front or cover plate, which is secured to the back plate in the usual way and is provided with a recess 109, within which the anvil 104 and its accompanying parts move. 110indicates a pin which is pivoted at its inner end to the anvil 104 a suitable distance above the lower end of the anvil. 111 indicates a thu mbscrew which is screwed into the front or cover plate 10S and is provided with a suitable opening through it, through which the outer or free end or" the pin 110 passes, so as to move therein, the said opening being somewhat larger than the pin 110 to allow suflicient play as said anvil is swung to and fro. 112 indicates a spiral spring which su rrounds the pin 110 between the inner end of the thumbscrew 111 and the forward surface ofthe anvil 104, bearing upon the inner end of the thumbscrew and the forward surface of the anvil and tending to force the anvil inward into the position shown in Fig. 19. By the turning of the thumb-screw 111 in one direction or the other the tension upon the spring 112 may be varied in accordance with the work which is to be done.

The operation of the parts above described is as follows: The parts being in the position shown in Fig. 19, the wire 113 is fed into the machine in any well-known and approved way-such, for instance, as the apparatus shown and described above-and is severed into lengths in any appropriate manner. The wire then passes into the slot 106 of the anvil. Thereupon the staple former 90 descends, bending the wire upon each side of the anvil in the usual well-known manner, the bending being completed before the arm 95 of the staple-supporter 92 is freed from the recess 95. As the staple is formed the driver 102, descending, contacts the beveled surface 107 of the anvil, forcing the anvil back. The staple-former 90, continuing its descent, carries with it the staple-supporter 92 until the arm 95 is freed from the recess 96, whereupon the staple-supporter, by the operation of the spring 101, swings forward into the position shown in Fig. 15, and the anvil being forced out of the way into the position shown in Figs. 15, 16, and 17 by the operation of the driver the staple rests upon the upper surface 93 of the staple-supporter 92, and the driver, contact-ing the staple, drives it through the paper, the staple-supporter being forced backward as the driving continues by the contact of the lower end of the driver upon its upper beveled surface 93. When the operation of driving is completed, the staplesupporter and anvil are carried upward by the operation of the cam mechanism, the staplesupporter' being held back againstthe action of the spring 101 by the contacting of the rear surface of the driver 102 upon its forward edge or point until, as is shown in Figs. 16 and 17, the arm 95 reaches the recess 96, the entrance of the arm 95 into the recess 9G being insured bythe beveled edge of the arm 95 contacting the lower edge of the block 88. The staple-supporter 94E is thus by the action of the arm 95 in the slot 96 held in its rearward position against the action of the spring 101, allowing the driver to rise and holding the staple-supporter ont of the way for the next operation of the parts. As the staple-supporter is carried up and down by the stapleformer in which it is mounted, as above described, the block 9S will turn in its bearings in the bracket 97 to correspond with said motion of the staple-supporter, and the spring 101 will constantly bear upon the staple-supporter and will force it into position to receive the staple from the anvil when the staple-supporter is freed from the recess 96, as above described, the pin 97 sliding in and out of the block 9S as the spring is free to opel'- ate or as the staple-supporter is forced back by the action of the hammer, as above described.

That which I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with mechanism adapted to form a staple having one long and one short arm, of a driver adapted to drive the long arm of said staple through a pile of sheets near one edge, means for bending the end of said long arm, 'after it has passed through the sheets, around the edge of the pile of sheets, and means for clenching both ends of said staple against the edge of the pile of sheets, substantially as described.

2. The combination with wire-feedin g mechanism, means for severing the Wire, and staple-forming mechanism, located to one side of the middle of the severed length of wire, whereby a staple will-be formed having one long and one short arm, of a driver adapted to drive the long arm of said staple through a pile of sheets near one edge, means for bending the end of said long arm, after it has passed through the sheets, around the edge of the pile of sheets, and means for clenching both ends of said staple against the edgev of the pile of sheets, substantially as described.

3. The combination with wire-feeding mechanism, a knife adapted to sever the Wire into lengths, means for operating said knife, a staple-former, staple-supporter and anvil located to one side of the middle of the severed length of wire, whereby a staple will be formed with a long and a short arm, means for driving the long arm of said staple through a pile of sheets near one edge, means for bending the end of said long arm, after it has passed through the sheets, around the edge of the pile of sheets, and means for clenching both ends of said staple against the edge of the pile of sheets, substantially as described.

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IZO

4. The combination with mechanism adapt'- ed to form a staple havinga long and a short arm, of a driver adapted to drive the long arm of said staple through a pile of sheets near one edge, means for giving to said driver an intermittent driving movement,a clencher adapted to coperate with said driver to bend the end of said long arm of said staple around the edge of said pile of sheets, means for operating said clencher, a secondary clencher adapted to force both arms ot said staple against the edge of the pile of sheets after Said long arm is bent, and means for operating said secondary clencher, substantially as described.

5. In a wire-stapling machine, the combination with wire-feeding mechanism, aknife adapted to sever said Wire into suitable lengths, a staple-former connected with said knife, means for reciprocating said stapleformer, a staple-supporter slidingly mounted on asuitable support having lugs adapted to engage suitable slots in said staple-former, whereby said staple-supporter may be raised and lowered by the movement of said stapleformer, and an anvil, said staple-former, staple-supporter and anvil being located to one side of the middle of the severed length of wire, whereby a staple will be formed having a long and a short arm, of a driver slidingly mounted in said staple-former and adapted to drive the long armof said staple through a pile of sheets near one edge, means for giv- ,ing to said driver an intermittent driving motion and for raising it after the staple is driven, a clencher, adapted to cooperate with said driver to bend the end of said long arm, after it is driven through the pile of sheets, around the edge of said pile in substantial alinement with the short arm of said staple, means for giving said elencher' an intermittent operative action, a secondary clencher adapted to force the bent end of the long arm and the short arm of the staple against the edge of the pile of sheets, and means for operating said secondary clencher, substantially as described.

6. The combination With wire-feeding mech'- anism, a knife adapted to sever the wire into lengths, and mechanism to operate said knife, of a wire-holder consisting of a longitudinally-movable arm provided at its lower end with a roughened surface adapted to engage the wire between said knife and said Wirefeeding mechanism, and a projecting arm adapted to be engaged by said knife as the latter is elevated, a block below said wireholder, and a spring adapted normally to force said Wire-holder against said block and engage the wire between said Wire-holder and said block, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a staple-driver, a staple-former, mechanism for operating the same, and a block behind said staple-former having a recess at its lower end, of a staplesupporter pivoted in the forked end of said staple-former and having an arm secured thereto adapted to enter said recess in said block, a fixed bracket extending rearwardly from said support, a block pivoted in said bracket, a pin passing through said block and pivot-ed at the other end to said staplesupporter, and a spring bearing upon said block and said staple-supporter,substantially as described.

HENRY VEBER.b

Vitnesses:

C. E. PICKARD, ALBERT H. ADAMS.. 

